Hilltop Community Church (Jackson, Minnesota, USA)
The Alpha Mennonite Church (first known as Jackson County Mennonite Church No. 1), 3.5 miles (5 km) northwest of Alpha, Jackson County, Minnesota, was organized at the time of the dedication of the meetinghouse in May 1898; a Sunday school had begun in a rural schoolhouse the previous year. The first families—among them Snyder, Shearer, Garber, and Hemer—came from Cullom, Illinois.
Peter B. Snyder, a minister, was among those who moved to Jackson County from Illinois. He moved to Texas in 1907. S. G. Lapp of Roseland, Nebraska, was the bishop here for several years, but in the spring of 1916 was drowned in a railroad accident on the way to Alpha. In 1907 he ordained C. J. Garber minister. In 1919 Bishop J. M. Kreider ordained N. E. Landis as minister (later bishop) and C. M. Bute deacon. Active workers went from this base to 17 different fields including Puerto Rico. The sewing circle (Dorcas Band) was organized 2 April 1902. The rural membership lived almost entirely north of Alpha and nearby Jackson, while 20 percent of the membership lived in town.
The church was remodeled in 1919, after being struck by lightning. It was renovated in 1939 and 1941. Membership in 1953 was 78.
The congregation relocated into the town of Jackson in 1985, building in a wooded area. At that time it adopted the name, Hilltop Community Church. The new building was dedicated 7 July 1985. The church closed in Spring 2004; Ed Wenger was the last pastor.
Bibliography
"Snyder, Peter B." Gospel Herald 41, no. 28 (13 July 1948): 655. Web. https://mcusa-archives.org/MennObits/48/jul1948.html.
Yoder, Holly Blosser. The Same Spirit: History of Iowa-Nebraska Mennonites. Freeman, S.D.: Central Plains Mennonite Conference, 2003: 278.
Additional Information
Address: 115 South Highway, Jackson, Minnesota
Phone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliations: Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference
Mennonite Church (MC)
Pastoral Leaders at Hilltop Community Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Peter B. "P. B." Snyder (1864-1948) | 1894-1907 |
| Christian J. "C. J." Garber (1875-1974) | 1907-1963 |
| Noah E. "N. E." Landis (1893-1987) (Bishop) |
1919-1951 1951-1961? |
| Frederick F. Gingerich 1910-1991) Bishop) |
1960-1965 1965-1970? |
| Elmer J. Wyse | 1970-1978 |
| Norman A. Geissinger (1916-2018) | 1979?-1989 |
| Marvin L. Graber | 1989-1992 |
| Edward J. Wenger | 1992?-2004 |
Hilltop Community Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1907 | 20 |
| 1916 | 31 |
| 1930 | 45 |
| 1940 | 40 |
| 1950 | 80 |
| 1960 | 73 |
| 1970 | 52 |
| 1980 | 40 |
| 1990 | 70 |
| 2000 | 32 |
| 2003 | 32 |
| Author(s) | Christian J. Garber |
|---|---|
| Samuel J. Steiner | |
| Date Published | July 2023 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Garber, Christian J. and Samuel J. Steiner. "Hilltop Community Church (Jackson, Minnesota, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2023. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hilltop_Community_Church_(Jackson,_Minnesota,_USA)&oldid=176403.
APA style
Garber, Christian J. and Samuel J. Steiner. (July 2023). Hilltop Community Church (Jackson, Minnesota, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hilltop_Community_Church_(Jackson,_Minnesota,_USA)&oldid=176403.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 66. All rights reserved.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.